Strong
by ExtraordinaryTogether
Summary: If it had been any other man, they surely would have hit her back. But Alex would never, could never hurt Norma. He just couldn't.


**Just my attempt to fix that intense scene from episode 9. Strong by London Grammar was my inspiration for this also.**

 **Enjoy!**

Norma should have felt bad. She should have felt terribly guilty for wailing on Alex. But she didn't. She was angry and had to take it out on someone. Alex said so himself that it felt good to wail on someone.

Alex's fingertips were warm, albeit a bit sweaty, but warm. It was distracting her from reminding herself to hate him. She was furious at him. No, furious didn't even come close to explain how she was feeling. How could he do something like that? Something so malicious and hateful?

The air in the room was choking both of them. Alex could feel the stinging of Norma's hits all across his face and neck. He always knew that Norma was strong, but he didn't realize she was that strong. Alex knew he couldn't hit her back, he would never lay a finger of harm purposely.

Alex cursed himself for grabbing her arm and wrist too tight. He could see the redness on her wrist that matched his cheeks. But what was he to do in that situation? There was nothing to stop Norma then. Alex could see why she was upset, Norma was dead set on protecting her son at all costs. But he was just so damn tired of doing everything to cover everything up.

Her breaths became short and her sobbing continued as he framed her face with his hands. She was muttering something but she was so upset and frenzied that he couldn't understand her.

"Don't you touch me…" Norma hiccuped, but didn't budge from Alex's tight hold.

Those words felt too much like how she was with Sam. Those three words were basically her anthem to Sam. But even though she viciously beat on Alex, she knew he wouldn't hit back. Norma used that to her advantage.

If Norma had said those three words to any other man, the surely would have continued to touch her, probably do worse than touch her.

"Don't touch me." She repeated, a bit more authoritative this time.

Norma oddly felt cold at the loss of Alex's hands. She didn't hesitate to move from her place, she realized she was too close for comfort. The look on Alex's face was unforgettable; his face was contorted of hurt and anger, fury.

"Norma, please, wait…" Alex begged, his voice hoarse from shouting. He trailed after Norma but she was quick on her feet.

"Leave me alone. I can't even look at you." Norma spat behind her shoulder. She could hear Alex's heavy footsteps behind her.

Instinctively, Alex reached for Norma's wrist to stop her movements. She quickly pulled her hand to her chest with a hiss. His eyes lowered and noticed the redness around her wrist. He did that. He caused her that pain.

"What the hell can you possibly want? I hate you!" Norma shouted again, this time tears freely falling down her cheek. "Because of you, Bob Paris is going to kill me!"

Alex's eyebrows knitted in confusion and his hand wiped his face of aggression. "What do you mean he's going to kill you?" He asked in a calm voice, the total opposite of Norma's.

"He knows I have it, Alex, I told him! Now that you've gone and turned it in, he's going to kill me!" Norma explained, hand gestures flying everywhere. Her hands stung from swinging at Alex. She wondered how bad his face hurt.

"He's not going to kill you," Alex sighed, dropping his head in shame.

"What do you know!?" Norma shouted, walking closer to him.

"I'm not going to let him! That's how I know!" He shouted back, beginning to feel frustrated. Did this woman not trust him at all?

"You're not going to let him?" Norma repeated in mockery. "What are you going to do? You gonna kill him?" She scoffed.

Alex sighed in frustration, taking a few steps back to contain his anger. He would never hurt this woman, put her in her place of course, but never hurt her. He pinched the bridge of his nose, hearing Norma's huffs of anger along with his heavy breathing.

"Listen," Alex stepped closer to her, a dominant and intimidating force over Norma, "You might not see it, you might not get it yet, but what I do will always benefit you. You need to get that through your thick skull. I'm making life easier for you!"

Norma's eyes widened and let out an audible scoff. She wanted to be moved by his words, moved by the fact that he was helping her and he would protect her, like he always ended up doing.

"You think my life is easy?" Norma asked, her voice thickening as she swallowed past the lump in her throat. "You have no idea how my life is!" She shouted.

"Norma…" Alex attempted to calm her.

"No! Stop trying to calm me down. You have no idea how hard it is for me, to get up every morning and worry about my son. I constantly worry about him I forget to even think of anyone or anything else. He gets himself into these situations and I always end up cleaning it up!" Norma shook with anger, no, not anger. Just hurt and sorrow and exhaustion.

Alex was silent, his eyes scanning her shaking form. He didn't want to speak or to move because he didn't want to see her hurt again.

Norma sniffled, wiping a few stray tears that escaped her eyes. She not only could see Alex's gaze but she felt it. It was terrifying like she was an insect under a microscope. He was inspecting every inch of her, but when his eyes met hers, she so wanted to keep eye contact, to bask in the warmth of his gaze.

"You don't get it, Alex." She spoke in a quieter tone. "Norman, he's… it's not his fault. None of this or anything is his fault. You can blame me all you want, but you have to believe me. If you don't, just…please don't ever say anything."

Alex watched her sigh and walk closer to the door. "Wait." He spoke.

To his relief, Norma paused her movements. She turned around, the dam of tears ready to burst.

No. No crying. Be strong. Norma thought to herself. There was to be no sign of weakness in front of Alex.

"I'm sorry. Not just for what I did, for everything, Norma. Everything you have to deal with is, is…unimaginable." Alex spoke softly, inching closer to her, wanting so badly to comfort her.

Norma's breath shook with anticipation. She wanted him and she hated herself for it. This was no time to be wanting Alex Romero.

"It's just the way things are." Norma said darkly.

"Just because that's the way things are doesn't mean they should be." He replied, holding her gaze as she stood close to him. Norma was so close to him, he could smell her, she smelled like vanilla. He could hear her breathing.

"Danger just seems to follow me everywhere I go." She murmured, her breath catching in her throat. Norma no longer cared about 'staying strong'. She wanted comfort. She needed comfort.

Alex remained silent. His hand slowly rested at her hip, checking the waters to see if Norma was comfortable with that. Alex sighed happily as Norma's hands laid against his chest.

"I don't hate you, Alex." Norma spoke again, her eyes meeting his.

"I don't hate you either. I didn't mean it." Alex replied, his hand resting against her cheek. Her cheek was so delicately soft.

"I'm scared. I don't know what Bob's going to do now without the flash drive." She said honestly, tears welling in her eyes.

Alex hated himself at that moment. His heart ached as the tears fell from her eyes. He was the cause of this. This was his fault.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done anything. I was trying to help you, to just get it out of the picture, you know?" Alex apologized, the pad of his thumb wiping her tears away. "But I promise you, Norma, I will protect you no matter what. I'll die before he hurts you."

Norma's body warmed, his word's touching her heart. No one has ever vowed to protect her. People were usually the total opposite. She swore to herself that people were intentionally out to get her.

She smiled up at him causing Alex's heart to stop. That smile, it seemed so broken, but beautiful. Her eyes were mesmerizing and her lips were so tempting.

"I'm on your side. I'll always be on your side." Alex swore.

Norma let out a shaky sigh through her smile. "Thank you." She bit her lip in hesitation.

Alex's stomach was doing backflips. Norma's hands snaked up from his chest and wrapped around his neck. Her heart was beating through her ears, she had never been this nervous in awhile. Butterflies flickered in her stomach as she leaned up to him.

Bliss. Total and unconditional bliss. That's all Alex and Norma felt as their lips touched. Her lips were as soft as he imagined. Alex's lips worked over hers perfectly.

Norma pulled away, smirking and licking her lips. "Wow."

"Wow?" Alex chuckled, running his fingers through her blonde hair.

"I thought you were going to a be a mediocre kisser, but I was wrong." Norma pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "I was so wrong."

"Good, I'm glad I proved you wrong." His words were quickly cut short as the sound of a gun shot filled the room.

The window by them shattered and Alex's body immediately responded and pulled Norma to the ground with him. Norma's heart beat erratically as Alex held her against his chest. They were both crouching just in case another bullet zoomed in the air.

"Oh my God, what was that?" Norma asked, her voice struggling to stay steady.

"It was a gun shot, but calm down, I'm right here." Alex held her face in his hands. "I need you to stay down, I'm going to get my gun."

"Wait, no, stay here."Norma begged, her hands resting upon his. "Please."

Just then another bullet hit the staircase, whoever was shooting was getting closer to them.

"You need to stay down, please, listen to me." Alex let go of her face and gently tugged on her shoulder to make her lay on the floor.

"Just…stay down. Please." Norma watched as he gave her a gentle smile and slowly and cautiously walked towards a drawer across the room.

Norma thought her heart would beat out of her chest. Her hands were sweating against the wooden floors as she kept her eyes glue on Alex. He was so close to the drawer when he turned to Norma and signaled with his hands to stay low.

The air in the room was so dry, Norma felt as if she was suffocating. Her eyes were trained on Alex as he grabbed the gun and held it tightly in his hands and made his way back to her.

"Thank god you're okay." Norma sighed as she stood up.

"We'll be fine, just go upstairs quickly and find a place to hide." Alex ordered, ushering Norma up the stairs.

"No, you're not going to be down here by yourself." Norma refused.

"Please, just don't be stubborn with me right now and go hide." Alex nudged her up the stairs.

Before either of them could respond, the door flew open and Norma's breath caught in her throat.

"Ah, just the two we were looking for! I thought it would just be you, Alex, but now that I have you both… Oh what fun I can have."

 **Let me know in the reviews if you like it!**


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